Sally Po: Life after war
by fractured sun
Summary: A series of snippet of life ficlets I wrote centred around Sally and her interaction with the Pilots. The main pairing is 5xS but there are background pairings of 1x2 and 3x4.
1. Stranded

_A/N Dont worry haven't forgotten my other fics I should update them at the weekend. I wrote this last month as part of the march challenge for the new LJ community onecharacter. (The basic idea is that you write thirteen stories for thirteen different prompts all adding up to a total of 10,000 words on one character, and I chose Sally Po). Decided to post some of them on here as a multichapter fic, (I have written other's in the same universe but the tone, mood and wiriting style is so different they just don't go together if anyone is desperately interested they are all on my LJ)._

_Anyway this first ficlet in the series was written for the prompt 'Two Roads' and is set several years after Endless Waltz.  
_

* * *

"Give that to me, woman." Wufei made a grab for the laptop, only to be thwarted when Sally turned the other way holding it out of his reach "Do you want to remain lost all day?"

"Wufei, as I have told you before my name is Sally, not woman, and I was an Alliance Major and then a rebel commander, I assure you I can read a damn map."

"If you can read the map so well why are we in the middle of nowhere rather than at the town we were supposed to be at" Wufei checked his watch "2 hours ago?"

Sally scowled "Fine here you go, mighty gundam pilot you tell us how to get there."

Wufei grabbed the laptop and stared at the map, he blinked and stared again, he pressed a few buttons to check the map ID and then scrolled through the other available maps "This is….What?

Sally grinned "So come on then mighty gundam pilot which way?"

"This map is wrong." He pointed out bluntly

"I know the map is wrong, I've been saying that for the last two hours you just didn't believe me."

"How can the map be wrong? it's the official cartographic record of the entire area, what sort of incompetent moron wrote this thing." Wufei checked his GPS "We're at the correct coordinates, but there's nothing here except a road and a dirt track."

"I know that Wufei," Sally repeated in exasperation "We knew the mapping for this area might be a little rough, but this is ridiculous. Still no joy with the radio?" She asked pulling the unit out of his hand and fiddling with it herself

"No, no change on the radio since you asked me five minutes ago all links are dead." Wufei sighed "This is completely ridiculous this is AC 201 not AD 201, how can we be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no form of communication? Who issued this damn map and radio system anyway?"

Sally froze hand still on the radio "I think I might know what happened" She sighed and leant back "Duo and Heero."

"You let Duo and Heero tamper with our equipment, are you completely out of your mind woman?"

"Heero is in charge of the Preventers computer network I can hardly refuse to let him upload the maps to our system," Sally glared at Wufei "and have you ever tried to persuade Duo to leave your equipment alone once he's decided to tinker with things, the man is like a whirlwind."

Wufei sighed "So basically what you are saying is we are stuck in one of Duo's practical jokes? I don't get it, why strand us in the middle of nowhere?"

Sally sighed wondering how well Wufei would take her suspicions, before deciding to make the most of Duo's plan to get them lost in the middle of nowhere "You remember when Duo locked himself into that bunker with Heero?"

"Of course I remember, after the initial arguments, they spent the entire time with their tongues down each others throats. They spent the next six months jumping each other at work. In public. Before finally moving in together. Allowing the rest of us to escape being further scarred by discovering them having sex on our desks."

"Well yes, it was a little more romantic than that (and I think they still have sex on your desk Wufei) but that was the general gist of it. Do you also remember when Duo rearranged the mission scheduling to send Trowa out as Quatre's only bodyguard in a hotel in the Caribbean?"

"I remember them coming back and _finally_ dating, before handing out invitations for history's most expensive commitment ceremony two weeks later, yes. Do you have a point?"

Sally sighed again "I think Duo is trying to do the same thing here,"

"By stranding us in the middle of nowhere, who exactly is he supposed to be matchmaking this time?" Sally was silent watching comprehension slowly arrive "What?" Wufei spluttered incoherently

Sally shock her head to clear the ringing in her ears from his indignant shout "I didn't know I was such a terrifying prospect."

"That not…. You're Sally…. I mean…" Wufei took a deep breath "I've just never considered it before, you've always just been there I'm not sure I think about you that way."

"I see." Sally said shortly "Let's go back that way, if we retrace our steps we should return to civilisation."

"Sally, that's not what I meant, I…. Would you…. I mean would you like to maybe go somewhere? I mean outside of work, together, on well a date or something. I mean only if you want to."

Sally grinned "You've lost your normal eloquence Wufei anyone would think you had never asked someone on a date before." Wufei scowled "Seriously Wufei? You're 21, you really have never been on a date?"

Sally listened as he muttered about work and duties and not needing frivolous diversions, she grinned dropping an arm round his shoulders "I see now why Duo was so desperate to set you up. Stop scowling so much 'Fei, I think it's sweet, pick me up at 7 on Saturday, assuming we ever get out of here, and you can take me to dinner."


	2. Conversations with Duo

_A/N This second chapter is based on the prompt 'expectations' and happens three years after the first chapter. Thanks to Dyna for her review of the first chapter._

* * *

Shortly after Sally and Wufei started dating Une had declared that people in romantic relationships were no longer allowed to partner each other. That news had sent Duo into a full bodied sulk for two long but blissfully silent days, before he suddenly cheered up and started trading jokes with his new partner Sally.

Now after three years of working together Sally could read Duo's moods almost as well as Heero could, so when Duo flopped down onto his seat in a huff she just looked up and asked "What's he done now? Or is it something he hasn't done?"

"Two weeks," Duo leaned forward to emphasise his point "Two weeks."

Sally sighed "You'll have to explain a bit more if you want me to understand what you're talking about."

Duo grinned "Well normally after Heero comes back off an assignment we…."

Sally held up a hand quickly "Stop right there Duo, it's half nine in the morning, far too early to hear the intimate details of your relationship."

"Ok, don't worry I'll cater to the sensibilities of the aging population" Duo grinned at Sally's glare "Lets just say when he got in last night all he wanted to do was sleep."

"Oh you poor baby, you'll just have to survive until tonight." She said sarcastically

"How about you and 'Fei then, was he feeling frisky after two weeks away?"

"Duo! I'm not discussing that with you."

"That'll be a no then." Duo grinned "OK I feel better now."

"Oh good, I'm soo pleased for you." Her voice dripped with sarcasm "Now that's over with do you think you could get on with some work."

"Whoa you are in a bad mood, what's up Sal?"

"It's nothing." Sally sighed at Duo's continued gaze "Really Duo, nothing's wrong."

"Uh huh, he still hasn't asked you has he?" Duo asked with exasperated fondness

"Duo, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Wufei, he still hasn't asked you to marry him." Sally stared at Duo "What? It's not that difficult to see what's on your mind, you've been seeing each other for three years, living together for two years and Wufei is so damn touchy about the subject of commitment."

"I doubt he'll ever want to get married again, not after how the first time turned out. I can understand that. He's made it quite clear he doesn't want to marry me."

"Oh please, completely different situation, that was an arranged marriage, hell he was 12 when they married. Not even slightly the same, you do want to marry him don't you?"

"Of course I do, I love him."

Duo sighed in relief "Well then that's alright then."

Sally narrowed her eyes in suspicion "What have you done?"

"Oh um nothing much. Don't worry Sal."

"Duo? What do you…" Sally cut off her words as the man in question walked in followed by Heero, Duo grinned jumping off his seat

"Hey I thought you were taking the day off." He said with fake innocence as he slung an arm round Heero affectionately.

"I was, but something came up, come on Duo I've booked you the day off, lets go out."

Duo raised one eyebrow then winked at Sally "See you later babe, places to go, people to terrorise." he followed his domestic partner out of the door smiling jauntily.

Sally looked at Wufei baffled "What was that about?" Wufei shuffled his feet looking at the floor "Wufei? What's wrong? You haven't been this tongue tied since you asked me out on our first date."

Wufei cleared his throat "I um, I overheard you talking to Duo." There was a stunned silence as Sally digested that "Heero turned up with a radio transmitter shortly after you left, Duo must have planted a bug. Sally do you want to…"

"Oh no you don't." Sally interrupted him "You asked me out on our first date whilst we were stuck in the middle of nowhere thanks to Duo and Heero. You are not proposing to me in my office because those two prodded you into it."

Wufei looked at her startled "But, um well." He paused looking at Sally's folded arms and pissed off position "Well then would you like to come out with me on saturday, I um I have something I'd like to ask you."

Sally grinned "Ah well I'll have to check my diary, I might be busy you know."

"Sally…."

"Well it had better be somewhere really special." She grinned "and I want a ring, simple classic gold with diamonds."


	3. Until the end of the week

_A/N This was was written for the prompt 'keeping a secret' and takes place a couple of years after the last chapter._

* * *

Sally cursed her husband's timing under her breath for the tenth time that week as she lurched to the toilet to empty her stomach again. This mission of Wufei's and Heero's had to have the worst timing yet, beating even the nightmare of the three week assignment over last Christmas, whilst Sally had been visiting her parents for the first time in five years.

Her cursing was interrupted by the sound of knocking heralding Duo's arrival to act as chauffeur. She stomped to the front door pulling it open startling Duo mid knock,

"Hello Sally, how are you today?"

"Fine, wait here I'll be back in a second."

"I'm fine too thanks, no really don't mention it, I don't mind coming to pick you up." Duo muttered under his breath, he waited whilst she picked up her bag "Cheer up Sal, they'll be back at the weekend. I'm normally the one who mopes when 'Ro and 'Fei are on assignment. You're supposed to be the calm, level-headed one who keeps me out of trouble, remember."

"Look Duo, I'm sorry to be short, I just want to talk to my damn husband, but he's not here is he? No he's in the middle of the bloody Sahara desert, chasing down some third rate mercenary who has stock piled one too many guns."

"Er Sal, you sure you're alright? I know I'm not 'Fei but you do know if there was ever anything wrong I'd help you out right."

"I'm fine Duo," Sally bit out

"Oh Kay then, if you say so. Lets get going, what is wrong with your truck anyway, it was fine yesterday?"

"The radiator started leaking, in the middle of my journey home, whilst it was pouring with rain. Just for extra fun my phone was dead so I couldn't ring for a damn lift either and I had to walk half a mile to a payphone. It's in the garage now, being tutted over by some over expensive jerk."

"OK then you can ask if you need me to take a look at it for you Sal. Maybe you have the right to be in a bit of a bad mood after a day like that."

"Why thank you for your permission Duo."

After that the journey to work took place in tense silence. The moment Duo had the car parked Sally shot out saying she had to catch Une and give her some paperwork. Bemused Duo simply nodded calling out "See ya later then."

Sally waited impatiently for Une to finish her meeting, slipping into the office before she even had the chance to see her visitors out. Une raised one eyebrow in query at her longest standing employee before returning to the handshakes, showing the guests to the door.

Une returned to her desk bemused "What's going on Sally?"

"Here." Sally handed her a form.

Une looked down at the paper in her hand curiously before looking up at Sally smiling "Congra…."

"Don't."

Une frowned puzzled "I'm surprised Sally, I thought you would be happy about this, you've been trying for about a year haven't you."

"Yes I know, I am happy, I'm ecstatic, but well it's early days yet I don't want to jinx anything."

"Fair enough, there isn't anything wrong is there?"

"No, I'm just cautious and Wufei's still on assignment so I haven't had the chance to tell him yet. It's kind of strange to tell you first really. I want the chance to tell him before the highly perceptive, nosy, gossip I'm partnered with figures it out and tells half the building."

Une laughed "Duo's not that bad, he was fairly successful at keeping secrets from Oz interrogators so I'm sure he can keep his mouth shut."

"That's not the point, I want Wufei to be the first to know."

"Well then in that case we just have to work a bit of subterfuge until the end of the week." Une looked down at the planner she had listing agents assignments "Hmmm…. There's only one real problem here, on Friday you and Duo are scheduled to take some cadets through hand to hand combat. Well we'll just schedule my annual physical then instead and get someone to cover, ahhh Trowa's free he can do it."

"Thank you Colonel."

"That's fine, I'll save my congratulations until you and Wufei tell us all officially but Good luck."

Sally found the week fraught as she spent her energy ducking Duo in an attempt to keep him in the dark. On Friday she'd slipped into an available office to hide from Duo only to find Trowa Barton and his partner of the week staring at her perplexed.

"Was there something you needed from us Dr. Po?" the 'latest lamb to the slaughter' (as Trowa's partners were commonly referred to) asked in polite bafflement

"No just, um... Why?"

"This is our office Sally," Trowa pointed out calmly "Are you alright, you look like you're hiding from someone. Duo's worried about you he's been saying you've been acting very strangely."

"No just.." Sally sighed "I'm hiding from Duo."

The 'latest lamb to the slaughter' gaped at her but Trowa narrowed his eyes before nodding "You will tell us later won't you." He said in that quiet sure voice which left Sally wondering if he could possibly know, Sally nodded wordlessly. "Good, he's gone now, I was going to meet him in the cafeteria in 20 minutes so you might want to avoid it."

"OK thanks Trowa."

Sally was stopped at the door as she turned to leave by Trowa's voice "Oh and Sally, just so you know Duo left a message for Wufei earlier to tell him he was worried about you, so don't be too surprised if Wufei calls, and don't forget Quatre's party next weekend."

Ten minutes later she had a call from her concerned husband, it had taken nearly half an hour shouting across a poor connection to persuade him that she was fine and would talk to him later. She finally put the receiver back and turned round to find herself facing a frowning Duo

"Have I done something to upset you?" He asked bluntly "Because you don't normally spend an entire week avoiding me."

"Look Duo I…. Please could you ask me again on Monday I'll explain then I promise."

"On Monday?" Duo repeated puzzled "Ah you want to talk to Wufei face to face before telling me something."

"Duo stop it, this is exactly why I've been trying to avoid you, just stop reading me."

"But why would you...?" Sally turned and practically ran for the door before he could figure it out "Oh I've got it, you're pregnant aren't you." He shouted across the office Sally turned and glared at him "Er.. opps, if you like I can pretend I don't know until after you tell Wufei. I'm actually really good at keeping secrets."

Sally looked round significantly at the twenty or so agents who had looked up at his shout, Duo looked sheepish and shrugged apologetically mouthing "Sorry."


	4. Family

_A/N I'd honestly forgotten I hadn'tuploaded this section yet. To make up for it I've put the last two bits in one chapter. The prompt for the first section was 'Any day now' and the second section was written for the prompt 'eyes'._

_ So here we go completed story, I may post something else in this universe someday but this arc at least is over. I hope you enjoyed it, thank you to Dyna, Angelyn and lil' devil 2005 for the reviews. Well here goes nothing._

* * *

Sally heaved herself onto her feet nearly overturning the table she used for leverage. Cursing slightly under her breath she waddled over to the desk to look for the palm pilot containing her address book. She groaned as she dropped it on the floor, bending over cautiously so as not to overbalance. Mission accomplished, she returned to the sofa and the phone alongside it. She was very glad that the human gestation period was not as long as an elephant's, the feeling of being unbalanced, the swollen ankles and the difficulty moving were all things she could cope with. It was the mixture of nervous anticipation and lonely boredom at home on Maternity leave that was sending her out of her mind.

She typed in the number and waited for the connection to Mars grinning slightly when Zechs answered, "Dr Po, hello, good to hear from you, it is not often we hear from Earth."

"Hi Zechs, how are you guys? Are the little ones doing alright?"

"We're all fine thank you, Daniel is just about to start school next month and Emily is just starting to walk, I see that your family is growing well."

Sally laughed placing a hand on her belly, surprised at the uncharacterisitic joke "Yes Zechs the family is growing just fine."

"I suppose you would like to speak to Lu?"

"Yes please, thank you Zechs."

She waited for a minute as Zech's face disappeared and listened to the sounds of shuffling as he and his wife swapped places. Lucretzia Noin's face lit up as she took in her friend "Sally, how are you? I got your message about the baby of course but it's been so long since we've actually spoken."

Sally grinned at her former partner "Yes I know, as I am at home now, going out of my mind, on Maternity leave and it's evening there on Mars I thought I'd ring and say hi."

"It's great to hear from you. How are you? How's the baby?"

"I'm fine, the baby's also fine she seems to like to using my kidneys as a football but otherwise we get on just fine. It's Wufei and the others who are driving me nuts, I swear they barely let me cut up my own food at the moment, you would think the poor girl had five Dads not one."

"Well I suppose it isn't likely that any of the others will have any, so they have to adopt yours instead."

Sally scowled "Well not unless the doctors really did do some major modifications on them."

"Sally! That's just disturbing." Noin laughed "At least you know she will be well protected. With all those Gundam Pilots as Godfathers. Her poor friends."

"Never mind the friends, I pity her first boyfriend can you imagine the security checks, the poor boy will have to endure."

* * *

Sally had fallen in love all over again, the moment the midwife placed her daughter into her arms she knew that her life would never be the same again. She tore her eyes from the baby to look up at her hovering husband smiling wearily, lifting her arms up to pass him their daughter "Here Meilan, this is your Daddy. You pay attention now, and you'll have him wrapped round your finger in no time, he's a real softy under the angry exterior."

Sally watched the awestruck Wufei as he stared down at the baby babbling to her in whispered Mandarin that Sally was too tired to catch completely, or to try to translate. Wufei seemed mesmerised a strange look on his face caught somewhere between wonder and terror, Sally laughed at the thought of the Gundam Pilot who willingly threw himself into battle against any odds terrified of a baby.

The family tableau was interrupted by a knock on the door and Duo stuck his head round "Is it safe to come in?"

Sally grinned "Yes Duo it's safe to come in, what were you expecting a troop of mobile dolls."

Duo laughed making his way over to where Wufei was holding his daughter "So this is little Meilan." He breathed reverentially before adding "She looks kind of gloopy, and her heads a funny shape."

Sally scowled slightly but explained that was normal after the trauma of delivery and Duo returned to hanging over Wufei's shoulder staring at Meilan, waggling his fingers in her face.

"Hello sweetheart, I'm Duo and I'm going to be your favourite Uncle. I'm going to take you places and teach you all the best ways to make your Dad mad. He's very funny to provoke he goes this great shade of red and splutters."

Wufei reached out casually with one hand pushing him away "You will not be teaching my daughter any such thing, I'm not going to have you corrupting her."

"Hey" He called out indignantly "Well in that case I'll teach her proper life skills like how to pick locks, or escape the police."

Sally cleared her throat "No thank you, stick to teaching her how to hide her Dad's Sabre or tell sarcastic jokes please."

Duo grinned at Wufei "See I have permission now, Sally agrees with me. You listen to your Mummy now sweetie she's a very clever woman, unlike your Dad." He stuck out his tongue before skipping back out of reach "OK you guys stay here, I'm going to tell the others they can come in. They 'didn't want to disturb you' for some strange reason, but we need photos with everyone in."

Soon the room was full of Gundam pilots crowding round the baby and making cooing noises, Sally lay back exhausted but happy grinning at the sight of her extended family. Quatre broke off from the group as Duo started pointing at her nose declaring it looked like Heero's leaving the rest of the group to scowl at him for the stupid remark.

"Hey Sally, how are you feeling?"

Sally smiled tiredly at him "Quatre, can't you tell I thought you were an empath?"

Quatre grinned "With the amount of sugar and caffeine Duo's consumed waiting for this I doubt I could feel a nuclear explosion above the buzzing."

"I'm fine Quatre, a little tired, but just look at her isn't she worth it." Sally raised her voice slightly "Now if I could just get her back from the hordes of kidnapping Gundam pilots."

Duo interrupted "You sure this is Wufei's baby?" A strange moment of total silence descended as each of the adults stared at Dup as if he had two heads "Look see she has Heero's nose and Trowa's ears and look at the chin just like Quatre. She's obviously a Gundam baby, lets just hope she's inherited my wit and intelligence."

Sally glared as Wufei spluttered in the background not quite willing to let go of his daughter so he could kill Duo for the insult. Heero sighed stepping between his Preventers partner and his domestic partner (just in case), whilst Quatre blinked in confusion at the suggestion.

"Duo, you're clearly completely blind, she couldn't look any more like Wufei if she was a clone." Trowa pointed out blandly

Wufei looked down again at the Meilan "Maybe, but she has her Mother's eyes."


End file.
